Algal Bloom Alert for Waihola

The Otago Regional Council advises that the latest toxic algae samples taken on Thursday 7th of November 2013 show that algal bloom levels are still very high and showing no signs of decline.

Lake Waihola remains in red mode – which means the signs warning the public of potential risk to health must remain in place. The Otago Regional Council are continuing to take weekly samples from the lake.

Cawthron Institute in Nelson have advised the Otago Regional Council that they are in the process of identifying the toxicity levels and hope they will have some definitive results to us early next week

 

Tax Changes for Riparian Planting

A very positive tax reform for farmers undertaking riparian planting has been announced this month by Conservation Minister Nick Smith. The tax reform means that riparian plantings undertaken by farmers can now be deducted as an operational expense rather than as capital expenditure. Such a reform in the Income Tax Act 2007 allows the planting cost deductions that help to prevent or mitigate discharges into water courses or water bodies. The new reform will also be extended  from just trees to shrubs and other plantings.

This is a very positive move by the minister and will assist pro-active farmers who working hard to protect waterways and wetlands.

Algal Bloom – Public Meeting

The management of Algal Bloom has been a hot topic for the Waihola community and visitors to the lake over the summer. A public meeting is to be held between Otago Regional Council staff and members of the community.

There has been strong dissatisfaction within the Waihola community at the way public signage and advertising of the algal bloom issues has been undertaken. The public meeting will be held in the Waihola Hall on Wednesday 13th March at 7:45 pm. The meeting will discuss the known facts about algal bloom, the health implications and the relationship between bloom presence and water quality.

See the Otago Regional Council’s meeting presentation here

Warning on toxic algae – Otago Daily Times

Toxic Algal Bloom Report – Otago Daily Times

Reasons for Algal Bloom not that simple – Otago Daily Times

Potentially lethal new hazard – Otago Daily Times

Black swan monitoring

LWWWS recently had a report on swan numbers from Fish and Game manager Ian Hadland. Fish & Game Otago have been monitoring Black swan numbers at Lakes Waihola and Waipori for at least the last 20 years. The high summer aerial count is done in conjunction with the paradise shelduck moult count flight.

The data shows a highly variable population and this is largely explained by the fact that they are a transient bird which tends to use a number of lakes and estuaries across Otago and Southland. Due to the low number shot each hunting season (under 1000 Otago wide) it is not thought that hunter harvest of them has a big influence on their numbers. Even the organized hunt which took place in 1999 on Lake Waihola (where around 900 were shot) failed to have any long-term impact. The population seemingly bounced back and bubbled along somewhere between 1000 and 2500 birds. Variation aside, the data suggests a sustainable population and not one which is surging as some people suggest.

Black Swan do appear to be taking better advantage of nearby pastures though and that is making them more visible and is causing concern to landowners. Some may argue that sharing a lakeside property with a bit of wildlife comes with the territory. Others are less sympathetic and want to know why swan grazing habits have changed. One suggestion is that the swan, who’s main diet is lake weed, preys upon high quality pastures in the early spring when the aquatic vegetation has been eaten out. This may not be a swan numbers issue – it could be related to water quality or clarity. Whatever the reason, when the water temperatures warm up and the lake weed regrows, they do tend to return to lake grazing.

…not a drop to drink?

The publication in March 2012 of  the “Water Quality in New Zealand – Understanding the Science” report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has been an important first step at improving the quality of New Zealand’s waterways. The report does not provide a “fix all” methodology for the challenges that we face in water management in New Zealand, but rather looks at understanding the science behind water quality. This is critical if we are to have rational debate that ultimately leads to sustainable management of water for industry, agriculture, recreation and domestic use. In the context of that debate the protection and enhancement of wetland’s such as Waihola and Waipori are pivotal in  their role to our local catchments. Importantly too, localised wetland and water management contribute to regional and national protection of our indigenous flora and fauna. The recreational opportunities afforded by water in New Zealand are a central part of our lifestyle that we enjoy as “rites of passage”. So gaining an understanding of the science that contributes to that lifestyle is important if we are to pass those rites of passage on to future generations. It would be a sad day in New Zealand if there was “water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.”

National Bank staff pay their dues at Titri

 Many of us imagine that the people who work in banks are power dressed men and women in expensive suits with a briefcase that they use for more than just taking their lunch to work. On Friday 23rd September that stereotype was well and truly broken when staff from the National Bank put their spades in the ground and planted the newly developed track at the Titri wetland. There wasn’t a business suit in sight and gumboots were the “shoe du jour.” However, one member from the bank admitted that he didn’t actually own any gumboots and had to borrow his mums!

The group planted 270 mixed native plants along the edge of the upgraded track and took some time out to look at the new bridge that has been installed and the site of the future viewing platform. Project Manager Paul Pope and Society Chairmen David Vollweiler were well supported by Society members Bert Wiel and Mark Beaton who wheel-barrowed the plants in from the car park to the new culverts, good effort guys! It was fantastic to have the bank staff at Titri and their enthusiasm and hard work was a real asset.  We look forward to having them back next year, but one things for certain we’ll be making them work even harder with more plants to put in the ground. Great job National Bank see you again next year!

Get the Oil – Ground Based Weed Control

Pete Raal from the Department of Conservation gave a very informative talk to the Society and local landowners at the Sinclair Wetlands last night. His topic Ground-based Herbicide Techniques for weed control provided some effective and safe techniques for landowners who want to remove woody weeds from their properties. Pete’s experience and understanding of weed ecology really shone through in his talk. The techniques that were presented were simple and extremely effective, a must for any landowner. A copy of those techniques have been kindly reproduced from Pete’s work here. The Society strongly recommend to all landowners in the region to take the opportunity to read and consider these options for weed control on their properties.

Society Tackle Waipori Alders

Members of the Lake Waihola Waipori Wetlands Society were away bright and early into Lake Waipori to control a group of Alders that have become well established on the edges of the lake. Alders (Alnus glutinosa) are a fast growing exotic that have becoming more widespread in the catchment. With the ability to grow 30 metres tall Alder form dense canopies that shade out wetland plant species and provide opportunities for other invasive weeds. A small team from the Society basal bark sprayed the Alders which have gradually begun a move eastwards across the channels and into new territory.

Historical change in Waihola

Waihola Circa 1870

The first recorded introduction of a willow species into New Zealand was Salix babylonica which was planted at Akaroa in 1840. These first willows were said to have come from Napoleon’s grave on the island of St Helena where ships often stopped for fresh supplies. By the 1850’s willows were planted extensively in Canterbury and around Christchurch. Most were brought from Melbourne in Australia. The Otago Witness had advertisements for willow trees in local nurseries as early as 1858. Willow became  an extensively used species for river stabilisation through the nineteenth century right up until the subsidised government planting schemes of the 1960’s and 1970’s.

The opening of the Dunedin to Clutha Railway in 1875 probably led to the acceleration of willow use around waterways and wetlands in the district. In an 1874 letter to the Clutha Leader the writer vehemently requested that the government and local authorities use willows to help protect the new rail developments and its bridges from river erosion. Local Waihola identity Dick Sinclair recently suggested that willow arrived around the lake in 1877. Given the need to stabilise wet areas near the newly developed railways and the historical evidence this seems highly likely. Certainly by the early 1880’s local councils and catchment boards were using willows regularly as a means of stabilising river banks in the Otago region. One of the earliest local records of willow use is in 1878 by the West Taieri Board of Conservators. Not that it was always used for catchment control, hopeful colonists also sought to develop an early willow weaving industry.

Some new colonists strongly disapproved of the planting of willows around waterways. In an 1890 letter reminiscent of today, an avid angler wrote to the Otago Daily Times that willows destroyed access to waterways and made some rivers “not fit for angling”. The early New Zealand colonist’s sought fast acting solutions to immediate environmental problems because of the rapid changes they made in the new colony’s landscape. They sought the protection of new infrastructural assets like rail networks and newly broken in farm land from erosion and flooding so as to improve the colony’s economic development and protect their financial and physical investments. The ecological and conservation effects of plant acclimatisation were not well-known, and it is only in recent years that have we begun to fully understand these effects.

The Dunedin - Balclutha Railway at Waihola Circa 1875

Weed Control Programme 2011

It’s been a stressful week (actually month) waiting around for the right weather conditions to ensure the successful implementation of the Society’s weed control programme. The major part of the programme was finished on Friday afternoon. This summer has been one of the most changeable that we’ve experienced and it has made implementing the programme difficult. However, we’ve had a lucky break in the conditions this week and the work has been done. It’s been great working with Graeme Gale and the other pilots of Helicopters Otago. Their experience and professionalism along with that of the hard working ground crews have made a big job seem effortless. This project wouldn’t be possible without the landowner and community support that the Society have received and your patience and support is much appreciated. The Society would especially like to thank the Sinclair Wetlands and Murray Cullen for allowing us to reload aircraft and source water for the spraying operations. While the spraying is finished there is much to do in analysing the success of the programme and ensuring that a programme of follow up work is arranged to continue with the Society’s long term restoration of this nationally significant wetland area.

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